Page 35 of Kiss of a Hellish Prince

“Of course you don’t have to,” Kylie said, speaking over Rune. “But the offer stands.”

“I would love to train with you.” A warm feeling spread through my chest.

“You said you don’t know where your demon side comes from?” Ulric asked.

“I am assuming my father, but he took off when my mom was pregnant with Vivi. Why?” I actually was thinking it was my mother, but until I knew why she didn’t tell Evie and I about any of this, I didn’t want anyone else to know that.

“Something about the way you move is familiar, but I can’t place it…”He took a long hunting knife out of a holster on his hip and held the hilt out to me. “Take this. I want you to see how it feels.”

I took the knife from his hand. It was heavier than I expected, but in a good way. It felt solid in my hands, and my fingers wrapped around the grooves in the hilt, fitting perfectly. I swung it around, getting a feel for it. It felt good, like a natural extension of my arm.

“If you don’t mind, Tori,” Ulric said, “I want you to spar with Kylie one more time with the blade.”

“I don’t want to hurt her.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, kid.” Kylie smirked. “Let’s go back into a fighting stance.”

We weren’t even training together yet, and she was already barking orders. Okay, then.

I sank back into position again, this time the blade in my right hand.

She sent out the first punch before I was ready. I barely blocked it and dodged the next right after it, swiping at her arm. This time, I wanted her to be on the defensive.

I swiped out with the blade again and followed it with a strike. She dodged and countered, but now I was setting the pace. My entire body fell into a natural beat. It was swift but fluid, like my body was falling in line with a dance, not a fight.

I wasn’t thinking about my moves; I was just flowing with them, acting on instinct, something primal inside me guiding my hands and feet. My body clearly knew what it was doing, so I let it.

I picked up the pace. I moved so Kylie was the one struggling to keep up. She didn’t have time to strike. She couldn’t plan her next move. She had to deflect and dodge the barrage of punches and jabs I was raining down on her.

I assumed she would keep up with me. After all, I was just an untrained halfling.

Nothing could have prepared me for the sick feeling of my blade cutting her skin, or the piercing scream that ripped from her lungs.

9

Chocolate and Testosterone

The more some things change, the more they stay the same.

The last few days, my entire life was shaken to its core. I found out demons are real, I was a half demon, my sister’s obnoxiousness was actually part of her “gift.” And I stabbed the shit out of someone.

Darrius and Murmur took Kylie to the medical bay. I tried to apologize. I really did, but Ulric waved me off. He said it was only a scratch with a training weapon. Demons are tough, and Kylie was one of the best. She would be right as rain in an hour or so.

I nodded, guilt still making my stomach roll.

“More testing will need to be done,” Ulric said with a sigh. “But I think it’s fair to say that you are a weapon master.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, the fluttering in my stomach growing stronger.

“It means that if trained properly, you could be one of the most badass warriors the world has ever seen. If that is what you—”

“Yes!” I interrupted.

Ulric nodded before saying that once Kylie was all stitched up, he would get her to create a training schedule for me.

I felt bad that I had accidently hurt Kylie, but there was also a sick sense of pride in having landed that hit. The blade in my hand felt good, felt right. I couldn’t wait to start training.

Now, just a few hours later, I was left on my own to figure out what the fuck I was going to do.

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